Public squats during World Toilet Day 2010
Updated - Tuesday 23 November 2010
World Toilet Day is a reminder that better sanitation is needed around the world. Last Friday, November 19th 2010, people around the world raised consciousness about the 2.5 billion people who do not have access to toilets and adequate sanitation. During this occasion, people gathered to perform public squats. "We're getting people all over the world to squat together in public places and take a picture. It's a fun way to get the message across and make people laugh," says the 52-year-old former businessman, So Sim, from Chennai. According to him, World Toilet Day provides the legitimacy for people to talk about toilets openly. "Toilets are like sex: everyone wants to discuss it, but [everyone] is waiting for someone else to break the taboo."
The World Toilet Organization (WTO) started World Toilet Day. The WTO was founded in 2001. They are an organisation comprising of 151 toilet and sanitation organizations in 53 countries who are committed to bringing awareness and improving sanitation conditions worldwide.
World Toilet Day in:
Ghana: According to MC Modern Ghana, Mr. Dag Akyeampong called on the government to pay more attention to sanitation issues and to create a Ministry and appoint a Minister in charge of proper sanitation management. Mr. Akyeampong is an educator, a former Assembly man of the Mfantseman Municipal Assembly, and currently a development consultant.
Suriname: The NVB (National Women Organization) organized a presentation for the students of the O.S. Stolkbuiten te Munder, which consistedof films showing people defecating on the train railway due to lack of sanitary facilities.
United States of America: 2theadvocate, the Capitol News Bureau () reported that a group of 75 students participated in a “big squat” at Louisiana State University Parade Ground. This demonstration was lead by Danielle McGeough, a communication studies doctoral student.
A list of the world's worst nations in terms of people lacking access to sanitary facilities was published by The Christian Science Monitor. The top three countries on the list were: India with 638 million, followed by Indonesia with 58 million, and China 50 million people lacking access to toilet or other sanitation facilitates. See the whole list here:
If you need more arguments as to why sanitation needs closer attention, check the following link which shows a man removing faecal sludge from a pit latrine without gloves, boots, or a mask.
Source: The big squat' to take a stand on sanitation - The Times of India
Related news: MC Modern Ghana, 19 Nov 2010.
